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Bone Remodeling

Bone Remodeling

Bone remodeling is a continuous and balanced process of bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts. In adults, it helps maintain bone mass and calcium homeostasis. While mechanical stress can stimulate turnover as part of the normal maintenance and reparative process, several hormones also regulate bone remodeling.

Bone Disorders

Bone Disorders

Aging and its effect on bone remodeling is the most common cause of bone disorders. In young and healthy people, bone deposition and resorption happen at an equal rate to maintain optimal bone health.
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...

Bone Remodeling and Repair

Bone Remodeling and Repair

Osteoclasts are cells responsible for bone resorption and remodeling. They originate from hematopoietic progenitor cells present in the bone marrow. Numerous progenitor cells fuse to form multinucleated cells, each with 10-20 nuclei. A single osteoclast has a diameter of 150 to 200 µM. These cells have ruffled borders that break down the underlying bone tissue and release minerals such as calcium into the blood in bone resorption. Osteoclasts cling to bones with their ruffled edges during bone...

The Bone Matrix

The Bone Matrix

Bone contains a relatively small number of cells entrenched in a matrix of collagen fibers that provide an adherent surface for inorganic salt crystals. Both components of the matrix, organic and inorganic, contribute to the unusual properties of bone. Without collagen, bones would be brittle and shatter easily. Without mineral crystals, bones would flex and provide little support. This can be observed by an experiment: when the minerals of a bone are dissolved by soaking the bone in acid or...

Osteoclasts in Bone Remodeling

Osteoclasts in Bone Remodeling

Osteoclasts are cells responsible for bone resorption and remodeling. They originate from hematopoietic progenitor cells present in the bone marrow. Numerous progenitor cells fuse to form multinucleated cells, each with 10-20 nuclei. A single osteoclast has a diameter of 150 to 200 µM. These cells have ruffled borders that break down the underlying bone tissue and release minerals such as calcium into the blood in bone resorption. Osteoclasts cling to bones with their ruffled edges during bone...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Semiautomated Longitudinal Microcomputed Tomography-based Quantitative Structural Analysis of a Nude Rat Osteoporosis-related Vertebral Fracture Model

Semiautomated Longitudinal Microcomputed Tomography-based Quantitative Structural Analysis of a Nude Rat Osteoporosis-related Vertebral Fracture Model

Published on: September 28, 2017

Effect of temporal changes in bone turnover on the bone mineralization density distribution: a computer simulation

Davide Ruffoni¹, Peter Fratzl, Paul Roschger

¹Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Berlin, Germany.

Journal of Bone and Mineral Research : the Official Journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research

|July 31, 2008

Summary

This study models bone mineralization density distribution (BMDD) changes during bone remodeling. Increased turnover lowers BMDD, while reduced turnover increases it, aligning with clinical observations.

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Last Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Semiautomated Longitudinal Microcomputed Tomography-based Quantitative Structural Analysis of a Nude Rat Osteoporosis-related Vertebral Fracture Model

Semiautomated Longitudinal Microcomputed Tomography-based Quantitative Structural Analysis of a Nude Rat Osteoporosis-related Vertebral Fracture Model

Published on: September 28, 2017

Subject-specific Musculoskeletal Model for Studying Bone Strain During Dynamic Motion

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Published on: April 11, 2018

Trabecular Bone Microarchitecture Evaluation in an Osteoporosis Mouse Model

Trabecular Bone Microarchitecture Evaluation in an Osteoporosis Mouse Model

Published on: September 8, 2023

Area of Science:

Biomedical Engineering
Orthopedics
Materials Science

Background:

Trabecular bone's heterogeneous mineral content arises from continuous bone remodeling.
Bone Mineralization Density Distribution (BMDD) quantifies this non-uniformity.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a mathematical model predicting BMDD changes in trabecular bone.
To simulate the impact of varying bone resorption and deposition rates on BMDD.

Main Methods:

A mathematical model was created to simulate BMDD evolution.
Model parameters were derived from experimental bone remodeling data.
Simulations mimicked increased bone turnover (perimenopausal) and reduced turnover (antiresorptive therapy).

Main Results:

Increased bone turnover led to a shift in BMDD toward lower mineral content, with transient heterogeneity.
Reduced bone turnover shifted BMDD toward higher mineral content, with transient narrowing then broadening.
Simulations of reduced turnover matched clinical BMDD measurements in patients treated with risedronate.

Conclusions:

The model accurately predicts BMDD changes based on bone remodeling rates.
This understanding allows for potential therapeutic manipulation of BMDD for bone quality.
The findings are relevant for managing bone health and osteoporosis treatment.